Hitherto, various liquid crystals of low molecular weight compounds have been known, but they are less than fully satisfactory because being made of low molecular weight compounds, they are inferior in their ability to retain their shape (generally including the properties of liquid crystal compound capable of being molded into desired forms).
Therefore, there have been proposed compositions comprising simple mixtures of a high molecular weight compound with liquid crystals of low molecular weight compound or high molecular weight compounds which has a low molecular weight liquid crystal compound thereto through the backbone of the compound, or to a side chain thereof through a covalent linkage, which have improved shape retention properties.
However, since the terminal group of a low molecular weight liquid crystal compound is generally an alkyl group, mixing of a high molecular weight compound with a low molecular weight liquid crystal compound results in a non-uniform mixed state. The low molecular weight liquid crystal is dispersed in discrete areas throughout the high molecular weight compound. Since the liquid crystal compound is not uniformly mixed with the high molecular weight compound, various defects become apparent when the composition is utilized as a liquid crystal. For example, non-uniform distribution of the low molecular weight liquid crystal compound in the matrix of high molecular weight compound causes nonuniform response and deterioration in definition when applied to display elements
Moreover when a liquid crystal compound is bonded to a high molecular weight compound through covalent linkage, reaction conditions suitable to such bonding must be achieved and it is not simple to bond a liquid crystal compound to a high molecular weight compound.
The object of this invention is to provide a liquid crystal high molecular weight material which is not a mere mixture of a high molecular weight compound and a low molecular weight liquid crystal compound and further is not one where a high molecular weight compound and a low molecular weight liquid crystal compound are bonded through a covalent linkage.
Another object of this invention is to provide a liquid crystal high molecular weight material which can be produced by the simple operation of mixing.